Today let's talk "BEEF"!

Okay . . . so I know, I'm dating myself . . . Do you remember this?

Well . . . the question still remain . . . but this time, for a different reason . . .

Where did the nutritional value go in the "beef" we eat today???

Well first . . . let's take a moment to discover the healthy goodness of "beef".

Beef is the culinary name for "meat" from cattle and is a good source of protein and nutrients. And meat from a younger cow (a calf) is called "veal".

Now . . . red meat is very nutritious, especially if it comes from animals that have been naturally fed and raised. It's "then" a great source of protein, iron, B12, creatine and various other nutrients.

For example . . . grass-fed beef contains -

VITAMIN B12 - which is an essential nutrient that is important for blood formation and the brain and nervous system. And animal-derived foods . . . are the "only" good dietary source of B12.

ZINC - is a mineral that is important for body growth and maintenance. And beef is very rich in zinc.

SELENIUM - is a powerful mineral that is essential for the proper functioning of the body and plays a "critical role" in "metabolism" and "thyroid function" and it helps protect the body from damage caused by "oxidative stress" and "free radicals".

IRON - is found in high amounts in beef and helps to preserve many vital functions in the body, including general energy and focus, "gastrointestinal processes", the "immune system" and the regulation of body temperature.

NIACIN - is one of the B vitamins called B3 and lowers LDL cholesterol, increases HDL cholesterol, lowers triglycerides, helps treat type 1 diabetes, boosts brain function, improves skin function and may help to reduce symptoms of "arthritis".

VITAMIN B6 - another B vitamin that can improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression, promotes brain health and deduces Alzheimer's risks, may prevent and treat anemia, is useful in treating symptoms of PMS, helps to treat nausea during pregnancy, prevents clogged arteries and deduces the risk of heart disease.

PHOSPHORUS - builds strong teeth, manages how the body stores and uses energy, reduces muscle pain after exercising, filters out waste in the kidneys, grows, maintains and repairs tissue and cells, and produces DNA and RNA . . . the body's genetic building blocks.

And like plants . . . meat contains a number of bioactive substances and antioxidants, Some of the most prominent compounds in beef include:

CREATINE - can improve strength, increase lean muscle mass and help the muscles recover more quickly during exercise.

TAURINE - I've spoken of this many times . . . this is an antioxidant, amino acid that is important for the heart and muscle function

GLUTATHIONE - reduces oxidative stress, improves psoriasis, reduces cell damage in alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, improves insulin resistance in older individuals, and fights against autoimmune disease.

And finally . . . CHOLESTEROL - this compound serves many functions in the body and in most people . . . "dietary" cholesterol as from lean meat . . . has little effect on "blood" cholesterol. "Blood cholesterol" becomes high due to the amount of "omega 6's" we consume in our diet. "Dietary cholesterol" is generally not considered a health concern. So we need to get rid of the myth that eating meat causes high cholesterol. It's too much of the fatty acid called omega 6 that does that.

So did you get that ???

"IF" the beef is "organic grass-fed" beef . . . the "dietary cholesterol" it contains DOES NOT (in most people) effect the "blood cholesterol" that we get tested for.

That's good news!!!

So tomorrow we'll continue with this topic of concern.

As always, feel free to contact me here